'Students, teachers give epic response to district rainbow flag ban' & other Thur midday news briefs

A school banned the rainbow flag from being flown. Students & teachers had the best response.- That's called using your head, folks. 

Lauren Boebert kicks off Pride month by picking a fight with Randy Rainbow, fails spectacularly - She tried and failed 

Police guard school from right-wing violence over teacher’s LGBTQ-inclusive flashcards​ - And here we go again. 

2 Utah families sue over ban on transgender women and girls competing in school sports - They are suing against the ban and I hope they win.

‘King Richard’ star Aunjanue Ellis on her unapologetic Black and bisexual pride - Great article.

Marco Rubio obviously thinks drag queens are more dangerous to children than gun violence

Sen. Marco Rubio won't support gun control legislation but drag queen reading to children gets him very angry.

In wake the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, several members of the GOP have been hemming and hawing about why they still don't support comprehensive gun control legislation. Florida Sen Marco Rubio is no different.

 According to Mediaite, Rubio had this to say on March 25: 

CNN’s Manu Raju talked with Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio about gun control on Wednesday in the wake of the horrific school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, asking about background checks and specific weapons bans. 

 “I caught up with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a Republican whose state witnessed that Parkland massacre at the high school just a few years, four years ago, and I asked him whether or not he would support expanding background checks,” said Raju to introduce the clip on CNN. “He made clear he is not on board with that approach.” 

 In the clip Raju asked Rubio, “Why not just expand background checks to take more commercial sales? Even if it doesn’t prevent every tragedy, it could surely prevent some, right?” “No, every commercial sale requires a background check,” objected Rubio. “Gun shows and internet?” interjected Raju. “There hasn’t been a single of these mass shootings that have been purchased at a gun show or on the internet,” said Rubio. 

“So if people want a deal, we can have that debate. But don’t link it to these horrible events because they would have nothing to do with it.” 

 “Okay, but what about getting rid of AR-15s?” asked Raju. “Why are these semiautomatic rifles necessary?” 

 “No, if people want to talk about banning specific guns, they should propose that, but it wouldn’t prevent these shootings,” answered Rubio.

On the next day, Rubio got called out for accusing the NBA of  'politicizing' the shooting.  He did this after Miami Heat announcer Michael Baiamonte called for a moment of silence and afterwards, asking the audience to calling their lawmakers and press for gun control legislation.

Fast forward to May 31:

Since the Daily Wire article is behind a firewall, I looked up another source for what was going on. It wasn't difficult to find since conservative publications generally trade content.

Family Research Council tries - and fails - to gaslight about Pride Month

 

Just in time for Pride Month, anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council has launched a new digital media outlet called The Washington Stand.

And of course one of the first article is a serious gaslight about Pride Month entitled After Disney, Will CEOs think Twice about Pride Month:

It might seem like every other June 1, but inside corporate board rooms, this Pride Month feels different. Companies aren’t coasting into this rainbow bonanza like past years — empowered and carefree. They’re looking in the rearview mirror at a 2022 that’s been anything but kind to their CEOs’ woke causes. After the uprising against Disney, State Farm, Starbucks, and Target, the question on most businesses’ minds has to be: Will Pride come before the profits fall? 

 For most Americans, even the sympathetic ones, June comes with its share of irritation. You can’t log on to social media, shop for groceries, turn on the TV, or even buy a Crunchwrap Supreme without being hit over the head with LGBT propaganda. At the San Antonio Zoo, there’s a drag show. At Taco Bell, there’s a drag brunch. At the Detroit Tigers, there’s free transgender surgery for kids if you support the right organizations at checkout. 

 . . .  Just this past month, a new poll by the Convention of States Action and Trafalgar Group found that Americans have had it with companies wearing their agendas on their sleeves. People were asked, “How likely are you to stop using a product or service of a company that openly advocates for a political agenda you disagree with?” A landslide majority — 87% — said they were at least “somewhat likely” to stop using the product or service of the company in question. That’s about as close to consensus as it gets. Fifty-one percent took it a step farther, saying it was “very likely” they would look. 

 That seems to be the new narrative - that business are supposedly learning the hard way that Americans don't appreciate 'wokeism.'  It's a bunch of bunk. First of all, let's talk about that poll. I'd like to see just who was asked.  Both the Trafalgar Group and the Convention of States Actions are incredibly biased. Trafalgar is a conservative polling group who came into prominence because it predicted that Trump would win in 2016.  The Convention of States Actions is yet another far right group which demonizes transgender people and COVID lockdowns. And to top it off, the 'poll' was published in Breitbart, which is infamous for its biased, bigoted, and thoroughly inaccurate content. 

But the FRC article itself is a huge contradiction even without recognizing the bias in the poll it cited. In one paragraph, the author claims that there is a fatigue and uprising with things like Pride Month by citing links detailing conservative - and inaccurate  -  renditions of certain controversies. For example the one with Disney involving the 'Don't Say Gay' law which some have acknowledged didn't hurt Disney at all.

Then in the second paragraph, she lists a multitude of upcoming Pride events which we should be ashamed of. Seems to me that if there were truly a fatigue or uprising, these events wouldn't be taking place. So which is it?

 It really doesn't matter cause girlfriend didn't write her piece for accuracy.

She and FRC are attempting to create a narrative that somehow people are getting tired of  'wokeism' and Pride month and this is causing companies to become weary.  The truth is just the opposite. Disney,(which ironically is the focal point of the article)  Target, and a multitude of others are in fact attempting to cash in on Pride Month. 

That is an interesting - although some see it as unfortunate - side effect of companies recognizing LGBTQ people. They also recognize our influence and the power of our purse.  Companies see green in those rainbows during June and they aren't letting that go. 

Now the sincerity of all of this is an argument for another time, but any notion that companies or CEOs are fatigued with Pride month is ridiculous.  Simply ridiculous.

'24 celebrities who came out as LGBTQ+ in 2022 (So Far)' & other Wed midday news briefs

24 Celebrities Who Came Out As LGBTQ+ in 2022 (So Far) - So far and yes things like this REMAIN needed. 

Right wing group publishes map of “woke” schools shortly after mass shooting at elementary school​ - The mind wonders what COULD go wrong with THIS idea? 

Gay/Trans 'Panic' Defense Leads to Accused Killer's Acquittal - This right here is some repugnant bullshit. 

NC parents' bill with LGBTQ limits going to Senate floor - Another 'parents rights' bill which omits that LGBTQ people are also parents.

June 2022 is here with Saturday Night Live's Pride Month Song!

 Wednesday will be the first day of June and thus the beginning of Pride month 2022. I have a feeling that certain people may attempt to make this year's pride month very interesting with all of the chaos they have been attempting from accusing us of grooming kids to demanding that LGBTQ books be banned from school and public libraries.

No doubt that element will present itself in an attempt to spoil our time. In anticipation, I am posting the video above from Saturday Night Live as a way of easing us into the month with a bit of comedy and good feeling. Also as reminder that it's still our month and our time. No one will ever take that and anything else away from us. No matter how hard they try.

BUT if worse comes worse, y'all still enjoy the month. Leave the ruckus raising to me. That will be how I enjoy the month.

 

'Christian nationalism on the rise in some GOP campaigns' & other Tue midday news briefs

Christian nationalism on the rise in some GOP campaigns​ - And guess who is on their menu? 

Anti-LGBTQ propaganda is a big part of Russia’s war effort - Possibly coming soon in one form or another to America. That is if it's not already here. But we ain't Russia. 

Laverne Cox Is First Transgender Person To Have A Barbie Designed After Her - In today's climate, let's take all things positive as something to celebrate. 

U.S. Soccer has officially banned anti-LGBTQ chants - Good for them!

Anti-LGBTQ grifter Christopher Rufo makes a fool of himself with latest 'attack' on Disney

 In the midst of this awful tragedy of the mass shooting at Uvalde which claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers, one would think that folks on the far right would cool down their lies about public schools being LGBTQ-indoctrination centers and teachers 'sexually' grooming children to become LGBTQ.

Are you kidding? Not when there's money to be made, fear to be exploited, and clout to be snatched. And on the front line is the guy who is seizing fast notoriety (and possibly becoming a pet project of this blog), Christopher Rufo. 

Check out this tweet he sent out  

SHOCK: Disney+ promoted a drag queen special for children, encouraging kids as young as kindergarten to join the gender identity and trans activist organization GLSEN. pic.twitter.com/8HKTtGsusv

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) May 25, 2022

To be fair, Rufo sent out this tweet before the tragedy. But if he has an ounce of good taste, he would have deleted it afterwards.

The irony is that there is nothing shocking or unscrupulous about this video. Rufo is obviously counting on the shock value of his accusations to get him and his claim over.  What's even more ironic is the clips he posted were from a Pride celebration Disney had last year, which is available online for anyone who wants to see it. 

And it was spectacular."

 

 So not only was Rufo lying about this Disney spectacular, but he was also very tacky in omitting that it was from last year and is publicly available, which  undermines the narrative that Disney is somehow trying to being sneaky. And personally, I find the spectacular to be wonderful.  I would rather have our children learning about respecting and appreciating the differences in each other and themselves instead of being fearful of being shot at school.

Too bad Rufo obviously doesn't feel the same way.

No doubt with the Pride month of June beginning this week, this is probably an opening salvo of Rufo and company to smear LGBTQ people and further paint us as pedophiles and groomers. Thus far it came across as weak and especially limp, which is an astute resemblance to Rufo's character.